Neuroblastoma is a rare cancerous tumor that grows from immature nerve cells usually in the abdominal area. It is most common in infants and children, but can also occur in adults. This cancer usually grows in cells of the nervous system but also may grow in the cells of the adrenal glands, which produce and release adrenaline and cortisone. Neuroblastoma may be present at birth but also may be detected later, usually before the age of 5 and very rarely after age 10.

Immature nerve cells called neuroblasts vary in their development. Neuroblasts that do not develop into functioning nerve cells may die with no trace, develop into a benign tumor or become a malignant tumor. The cause for most neuroblastomas is unknown, although a tiny percentage run in families.

Most neuroblastomas do not produce symptoms early in their development. Consequently, they are not diagnosed until they have spread (metastasized) and begin to produce symptoms. Signs and symptoms of neuroblastoma can be related to the site of the metastasis, such as an abdominal mass, bone pain or difficulty moving or paralysis. Neuroblastomas in the adrenal glands can cause the release of hormones from the cancer cells and produce high blood pressure and a rapid heart beat.

A neuroblastoma mass is often discovered during a routine physical examination or in an x-ray taken to diagnose an unrelated condition. Cells from the tumor are analyzed by a pathologist and the cancer is staged, which will determine the severity and spread of the cancer. The information is combined with the age of the child, DNA factors, cell type, rate of growth and spread to determine the patient’s treatment and prognosis.

There is no known prevention method for neuroblastoma, and usually detection before symptoms appear is not possible.